Agricultural equipment, such as a tractor or a self-propelled windrower, includes a prime mover which generates power to perform work. In the case of a tractor, for instance, the prime mover is often a diesel engine that generates power from a supply of diesel fuel. The diesel engine drives a transmission which moves wheels or treads to propel the tractor across a field. In addition to providing power to wheels through a transmission, tractors often include a power takeoff (PTO) which includes a shaft coupled to the transmission and driven by the engine.
In different embodiments, the mower conditioner is a separable machine which is configured to be attached to and detached from a tractor, which either pushes the mower conditioner or pulls the mower conditioner. In the separable mower conditioner, the mower conditioner is removably coupled to the tractor and is readily moved from one tractor to another if desired. In these embodiments, the mower conditioner is powered by the PTO of the tractor or a hydraulic motor system thereof.
In another embodiment, the mower conditioner is configured as part of the vehicle and is generally known as a windrower. In the windrower configuration, the mower conditioner is configured as a machine substantially integral with a tractor, such that the mower conditioner is not readily moved from one tractor to another, but instead both the tractor and mower conditioner are integrally designed. In a windrower, the mower conditioner is powered by the prime mover, the PTO, or a hydraulic system including a hydraulic motor.
Mower-conditioners typically operate at a ground speed of from five to ten miles per hour (mph). When the vehicle is operated at this speed, crop moves across a cutterbar, flows past one or more augers, where the crop is transferred to a conditioner, and then expelled out the rear of the mower-conditioner to form a windrow. The uniformity of the formed windrow density (defined as quantity of crop per unit volume) depends not only on the features and function of the mower conditioner, but also on the type and condition of the crop being cut. For instance, cut crop can be light, heavy, sparse, thick, and of variable moisture content.
In some mower conditioner operations, the cut crop hesitates above the cutterbar, resulting in poor cut quality, recut crop, and non-uniform feeding into a conditioner element. When the crop is cut at the front edge of the cutterbar, the crop has some momentum from the cutting action moving it laterally and to the rear with the movement of a rotary cutter disk and rotary knife attached thereto. Rearward momentum of the cut crop is further aided by contact with the uncut crop, prior to being cut, and the relative forward movement of the machine.
In some machines, once the crop is cut, movement of the crop toward the back of the mower conditioner is aided by movement of the rotary disk of the rotary cutter and rotary cutting knives coupled to the rotary disk. The cut crop proceeds with the aid of the rotary cutter, in a direction for delivery to a converging element, a conditioner element or both. Oftentimes, however, in light crop conditions, cut crop can be captured momentarily by the trailing side of the rotary cutter and thrown forward, instead of rearward toward the conditioner element as desired. This thrown crop can push down uncut crop causing cut quality issues. Also, the cut crop can remain for a short period of time, or hesitate, on top of the rotary cutter, before moving toward and into the conditioner. Cut crop which hesitates on the top of the rotary cutter, can be damaged from recutting during the hesitation, as well as from non-uniform feeding to the conditioner. Consequently, what is needed is a mower conditioner which reduces the amount of recutting and non-uniform feeding.